A tragic stampede occurred on Sunday morning at the footpath leading to the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, resulting in the death of eight pilgrims and injuries to 35 others. Among the injured, five are reported to be in critical condition, while 23 sustained minor injuries.
The incident unfolded around 9 a.m. when a large crowd of devotees was ascending towards the temple. Panic erupted after a rumor spread about an electric current on the path, triggering chaos. In the rush, several people fell and were trampled, leading to casualties, including a child.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami rushed to Haridwar and visited the district hospital to meet the injured. During his visit, he interacted with officials of the Mansa Devi Temple Trust, who announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. The trust also committed to arranging vehicles to help families transport the deceased and injured to their homes.
The Chief Minister expressed deep grief over the incident and has ordered a magisterial inquiry. Additionally, the state government has announced a financial aid of ₹2 lakh to each bereaved family and ₹50,000 to those injured.
